Orange is the New Black!

It was time to decorate the sideboard for Fall (thanks so much to Ruralist for featuring my vignette!) and as I was looking through my decor pieces, I suddenly felt an urge to go orange!

I have always gravitated to orange (my next pair of Hunter boots will be their burnt orange...I'm almost positive!), but have been somewhat nervous to incorporate it into my home decor.

Well, as you can see, I'm no longer nervous and love it! I also wish I had brought this colour into my home sooner.

I was visiting my parent's a few weeks ago, picking up my pumpkins and gourds for my outdoor Fall decor from a farm a few roads over when I decided to stop in at The Garage in Belmore. I am soooooo glad I did!

When I had started my Fall decorating inside my home, I felt something (or somethings) were missing, especially when it came to my sideboard (the focal point of my 800 square feet of living space). I was having this 'urge for orange' but didn't really have any pieces to fulfill that urge.

The moment I stepped inside The Garage Home Decor, I spotted the orange urn and the birch picture and knew they would be coming home with me!

As I wandered around the shop, I also noticed the orange and brown equine-esque infinity scarf, the deer print and the gold tea light holders. Literally every time I turned around, there was another piece I loved and wanted to bring home with me!

I also picked up a few more items and was so happy when the total came to just under $200! Wow....less than $200 for pieces I can re-use again and again and don't necessarily only lend themselves to Fall. 

Upon returning to my parent's, I cut some grasses that would add some height to the vignette, but also some softness.  I integrated the grasses, along with some mini pumpkins, corn and gourds from the farm, as natural elements to the display.

I then raided my basement and other rooms in the house to pull the vignette together. I used feather wreaths from The Hive in Bayfield, a silver antler from Homesense and a glass cloche and coppery/bronze bowl from Achesons Pharmacy in Harriston. The wire and wood tray was a gift and I made the grapevine wreath from vine in my back yard.

I'm so happy with how it all came together! And I'm SOOO happy I took a leap and brought orange into my home. I stopped into Achesons this weekend and there are some orange and grey plaid pillows that I was THIS close to taking home with me.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend and that you too 'take the plunge' and incorporate some colour into your Fall decor!

RR

A Decade of Style, Inspiration and Blushy Goodness!

It takes someone extremely special to create, build and progress a business over 10 years....a decade! 

Michele, the creative genius behind Blush has done just that! 

Happy 10th Birthday Blush! 

Michele has impeccable style and more importantly, she knows the style of her customers/clients inside and out. With every new item that comes through the door of her shop, women flock to the boutique to see, try on and purchase the stunning pieces that Michele has brought into her 'pink bubble'. Each piece is unique, timeless and a true wardrobe staple. I know I will open my closet 10 years from now and still have my oh so cozy grey wide-striped sweater and a gorgeous black wool purse (along with many other items).

In addition to the impeccable style and class that Michele exudes, she is also an inspiration to women through her exquisite and thoughtful creations that can be found around her home and shop. Literally everything she touches becomes a thing of beauty.....from her merchandising (which is absolutely brilliant) to her home gallery wall. If you follow her on Instagram (and I highly recommend you do!) you know exactly what I'm talking about when I say that the moments and vignettes that she captures, implore and inspire you to "Blush-Up" your life.... to embrace who you are, surround yourself with who and what you love, feel comfortable in your own skin and of course, approach your day/life with your own sense of style.

What better way to celebrate 10 years of creating one's sense of style and an uber successful business than with a party?! I think Michele was also a party planner in another life because wow, does she ever know how to throw a fantastically stylish and fun bash!

The attention to detail was second to none.....the mason jar cupcakes were scrumptious....the new fashions for Fall were impeccable....and most importantly, the ladies in attendance had a chance to celebrate the wonderful woman who has brought us 10 years of style, inspiration and lovely goodies!

Speaking of lovely goodies....we all left with a bouquet party favour....yet another example of how Michele makes us feel special through her creative gestures!

Cheers to 10 years of Blush and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years has in store! 

RR

A World Where There Are Octobers...

L.M Montgomery (a wonderful Canadian author) says it the best; 

• "I'm so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers."

Those words couldn't be more truthful.

To live in a world where we get to watch the leaves turn colour, the evenings have a chill in the air, the birds fly south, crops are harvested from farmer's fields, pumpkins and gourds are staples in decor, boots and scarves become a wardrobe staple...the list could go on and on about all of the wonderful things that come along with the month of October....with the Fall season.

Fall is my favourite time of year for a multitude of reasons (most of which are noted above), but also because I see it as a season of a fresh start and new beginnings. You may say or ask why I see it as this as Fall is a season of the end of a life cycle for so many things. Yes, the trees lose their leaves, we get the last bit of bounty from the garden/fields....but, through this end of life comes inspiration and a culmination of what the Spring and Summer has produced. It may be the end for somethings, but with every ending comes the chance for a new beginning.

We change our flip flops for rubber boots, summer flowers for grasses, summer fruit for pumpkins and squash, cold beer for warm apple cider, shorts for jeans, t-shirts for sweaters, corals for burnt orange....the list goes on and on. 

As I sit out on the back deck wrapped in a cozy blanket rather than on a towel, I welcome the chill in the air, I watch the squirrels and chipmunks rushing around as they put away the walnuts for the winter, I look up at the tree canopy that is now almost void of leaves...... We're in a transition....a transition to new beginnings....

The more I look around me and take it all in, the more I sure am glad to live in a world with Octobers!

RR

Reinforcements..

Reinforcement = the process of encouraging or establishing a belief or pattern of behavior, especially by encouragement. 

A strong Mind, Body and Home needs Reinforcements......Whether it be a daily planner, a group of friends, an inspiring print or a favourite app, we MUST surround ourselves with who and what will encourage and assist us to be the best 'Me' possible.

I think it's safe to say, for a lot of us, most days are quite manageable....though everyone's degree of manageable differs of course. I think we can attribute this ability to manage to the reinforcements we don't even realize we've built into our lives.  Something as simple as our morning routine can help to get the day off to a great start. Do you have a morning routine?? A while back, I wrote about morning routines and asked, "What do you do before breakfast?" . I definitely do have a routine (you'll have to read that post to find out what my mornings entail) and even though I do try and stick with it, there are times when I just can't.... 

This is where Adaptability comes in...Adaptability AND Resiliency some days. There is one thing I can say about my life, and I'm sure yours too....as manageable as it is most days, when the curveballs get thrown, let's just say, they come in at 125mph and damn, there are some that come close to striking me out! 

This is where you have to use all of your 'tools' in your Reinforcements toolbox, in addition to your ability to Adapt and be Resilient, to help you get through. I've already mentioned some of my 'tools', but here are a few more:

• Moleskines and a pen; so I can jot down ideas, lists, quotes etc as the day goes by...and so I can look back at all the good when it may not be quite as good a day as ones prior.
• Magazines; I subscribe to mags that let me lose myself in them, whose pages end up on my inspiration boards and that help keep me on track from a motivational standpoint. When I've had a rough day, I come home, pour a glass of wine and curl up with a magazine to either distract me for a bit, or to help me unwind. 
• Fresh Flowers; I try and have fresh flowers in my home as often as I can, especially flowers from the Market here in town. They bring a smile to my face every time I look at them and really, I can't think of a better 'pick me up' then a bouquet of your favorites to bring some cheer and colour into your home.
• The Gym;  I have two words for you: Leg Press! The days when the frustration levels are topping out are the days I actually have some of my best workouts!  Head phones in, music turned up, water bottle filled...Bring on leg day..and heavy leg day at that! The great thing about working out is that it makes you so aware of the mind and body connection, especially when doing weights I find (I'm definitely a gal that lifts). You have little choice but to completely focus on your workout when you have a new personal best loaded up on the squat rack.
• Re-Organizing: one of THE best distractions for me is re-organizing, updating/refreshing my home decor and purging. It not only helps the mind de-clutter and settle to go through the creative process but it also brings a new sense of 'Me' to your/my space. It's a pretty great workout too if you're having to run things back and forth to the basement like I do.
• Cooking;  there's something almost therapeutic about chopping up veggies, bbqing out in the sunshine and taking in all the yummy aromas as the meal comes together...maybe I was a sous chef in a prior life. Not only do you have the 'therapy' of the process, you know you have healthy, great food to feed your body too!

Reinforcements.....we all need them and only you know what you need to ensure you remain successful, healthy and happy. I find as we get older, we hone in on what really works for us....What are some of your Reinforcements?

Adaptability and Resiliency work hand in hand with your Reinforcements and the more tangible "tools" you have in your toolbox, the more emotionally strong, resilient and adaptable you should be able to be. I say should....but honestly, I really mean will. You WILL be more resilient and adaptable. 

A friend and I were discussing how our lives can look 'perfect' via the internet...The 'flawless' Instagram photos, the 'splendid' Facebook posts...yea right! For those moments, those literal seconds, life is 'perfect', but what about all the other minutes and hours in the day? I'm sure there are many other 'perfect' moments in your day, but for the 'not-so-perfect' times, remember these 3 words:

• REINFORCEMENTS, ADAPTABILITY and RESILIENCY 

RR

The Making of Me...

Someone asked me the other day what I blog about and crazily enough, I had a bit of a difficult time answering. 

My first and immediate response was, "Home Decor"....

I must have answered with a somewhat unsure look on my face or tone in my voice, as they asked me the question again... After what seemed like an eternity, I responded for a second time, but much more confidently, "I blog about lifestyle topics...I blog about life"....... As the words came out of my mouth, I thought to myself, "Did that ever feel good rolling off my tongue".

As much as I love Home Decor, I feel like there is much, much more to my blog than that...and to me as a person....

|n my humble opinion, blogging should be your story...as much or as little as you'd like to share...but when push comes to shove, your blog should be a reflection of you, what inspires you and what you love.

Wait....let me say that another way.... your LIFE should be about what inspires you and what you love...a reflection of what makes you YOU.

You're probably thinking, what is this girl talking about? Of course my life is a reflection of me.. I'm living it!! 

But I ask you to take a step back....take a panoramic view of the life you are living. Can you say to yourself with 100% honesty, I'm living a life that reflects 'me' as the person I want to be.... 

Insert Epiphany In The Making Here!! 

Let me back up a bit first..... It all began one day a few months ago when I had written out my initials... AMBM.......................and it came to me...

A Mind Body hoMe Life & Style... Your mind, your body and your home need to be in synergy to find and retrieve the "Me" you strive to be every day.

Some days are definitely a smoother ride then others, but the thoughts running through your mind, how you care for your body and what you do to make your house a home reveal the 'Me' you are becoming every second of every day.

MIND + BODY + HOME = ME

Rustic Retrievals = Retrieving your experience and knowledge on a daily basis to continue to mold  the unfinished parts of you. Essentially, taking the 'old me' (who I was yesterday) and continuing to learn, grow and build the 'new me' (who I am today and who I will be tomorrow). 

I'm just getting started as my mind is going a mile a minutes with so many ideas! Stay tuned for so much more Mind + Body + Home = Me and Rustic Retrievals Life & Style...

For now....I will leave you with this question...

What inspires you on a daily basis about your life??

RR

There's Still Plenty of Summer Left!

The days may be getting shorter, but there is still plenty of summer left! I know most would say we really haven't had much of a summer with the cooler weather we've had....I would have to argue that!

This has been THE perfect summer to get outside and enjoy your outdoor living space! The cooler nights call for a cozy blanket and campfire, the chilliness seems to have kept the bugs away and honestly, wouldn't you rather be outside when it's 19 degrees versus 33 degrees PLUS a humidex that makes it feel closer to 40 degrees? I sure would!

I had posted some photos of my backyard transformation on Instagram and one of my favourite websites, Ruralist, asked if I'd like to do a few pieces on outdoor decor/living/entertaining. Of course I said YES!

I ended up writing 2 pieces:

• My Patio - Design your own Rustic Retreat

• My Back Deck - Style your own Outdoor Entertaining Areas

It was so much fun to pull items I already had  (I honestly purchased very few new items for the shoots) together into two inviting, comfortable and Rustic Chic spaces. A HUGE thank you to my amazing neighbour and friend Michele for her help! She is a styling GENIUS!!

I'll let you read the articles for tips on how to design your own outdoor space and as an FYI, I also included A LOT of my favourite local home decor sources that can be found all over Southern Ontario! THANK YOU so much Ruralist for featuring my outdoor spaces! 

The long weekend will soon be upon us, so why not have friends and family over to enjoy your outdoor space?

I'll leave you with a few photos of the patio and deck and if you should have any outdoor decor questions, feel free to email me at rusticretrievals@gmail.com .... ENJOY!

RR

Post R&R....

I am going through withdrawl.......

Withdrawl of the feeling of sand between my toes, of morning walks along the shore, of campfires, of lounging & reading in the sunshine and most of all...this view!

It was THE perfect gals week at the cottage (cooler weather and gale force winds included) and I have again confirmed that I could be a beach bum 365 days a year for the rest of my life! Now...where did I put that lottery ticket?!

You arrive at the cottage, walk around the side and come face to face with this....I can honestly say that I felt every ounce of stress and worry leave my body at the sight of this.

You wander down the path towards the lake and are greeted by this.....

A private sandy area with floating decks and through this gateway that separates the cottage area from the public beach, you see this.....

And this.......

Oh...and from one of the floating decks.....this was our view....

As you can see from the photos, we really had quite a mix of weather. Saturday and Sunday were everything you could want in a beach day and more. Monday got a wee bit chilly and Tuesday & Wednesday were windy, chilly and reminded me of Fall. But, it's the cottage...you make do with whatever Mother Nature throws at you, whether that means bathing suits and sunscreen or sweatpants, sweaters and blankets (note the goosebumps on my legs...that was an evening that really did call for long pants). The waves were mesmerizing and one afternoon, we decided to jump in and throw ourselves into them! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time...nor had I had such a good workout either as the undertow was incredibly strong. It was a battle staying on our feet at times in the shallower sections.

Seeing as we were about 5 minutes south of town, we decided to head in on Tuesday to do some shopping. Yes...it's shocking...a gals week and shopping is involved ;) I'd be much more shocked (and concerned) if there hadn't been any!

Welcome to Sauble! I hadn't been there in well over a decade and I felt old highschool memories come flooding back. 

We 'walked the strip', popping in and out of stores. We went to one called The Patch (there's one in Guelph too!) and as you walk in, there's a huge wall of friendship bracelets...so of course, in all the charm and cheesiness that comes with gals in their 30's away for a week of fun and frivolity, we got ourselves friendship bracelets! 

All that shopping (and walking into the wind) sure made us hungry, so we headed to Mars Cosmic Fries for this.....

THE MOST AMAZING POUTINE I've had in a veryyyyyy long time!! And...the lady that sold us these oh so yummy morsels assured us that calories did not count on Tuesdays (*wink wink*)! Whoot whoot!!

I don't know if I should admit this or not....but we went back Wednesday too....and ordered a smaller portion...a barely smaller order of fresh cut fries, covered in ooey gooey cheese and scrumptious gravy.. I am practically drooling as I write this just thinking about them!

Yes, we did treat ourselves, but we actually made most of our meals at the cottage. We all took turns making dinner and the night we decided  to make chicken kebabs on the BBQ, was very...how do I put this....entertaining!

We opened the BBQ and noticed there was 'stuff' on the grill that needed to burn off. So, we lit it and carried on with dinner prep as per usual while it warms up...

A few minutes later, we look at the BBQ and see this....

Flames shooting out the back!! YIKES!!! After a moment of panic, we shut off the propane and let it burn itself out. Was that grill ever clean after that! We proceeded to make the kebabs without incident and had a very scrumptious (and healthy) dinner.

After our dinners every night, weather permitting, we'd head down to the beach to watch the sunset and have a campfire...two of my favourite things to do while at the cottage.

We sure had some amazing sunsets while we were there!

The campfires were key, as the evenings were quite chilly and of course, what would going to the cottage be without s'mores?

Our final morning arrived..... I couldn't get over how quickly the 5 days had gone by... I had my morning walk on the beach and took these shots...

We packed up, tidied up and did one final walk to the lake and then back through the charming, rustic cottage we had called home for the past few days. It felt like stepping back in time when you were inside the cottage....Almost every detail was original, from the solid wood doors, to the trim, to the floor, the fireplace and the windows. It reminded me a lot of our cottage/'camp' we had growing up. I had to snap a photo of the view out of one of the front bedrooms, through the wood french doors..it captures that 'feeling' I'm talking about... We also found an old photo of the cottage's exterior in all of its original glory!

It was such a great time....full of laughs, chats, sunshine, sand, fun, great food/drink and of course, rest & relaxation! Thanks so much gals for making our week away together one to remember! Now...Let's get planning next year!

RR

Time for some R&R!

I'm on vacation!!!

I'm heading to the lake for a week of sand, sun and R&R with some gal pals.

While I won't be blogging, keep an eye on my Instagram and Twitter feeds for some photos and updates of what we're getting up to.

I'm looking forward to reading (I have enough books and magazines with me to keep me busy for a month vs a week), catching some rays (wearing sunscreen of course), walks along the beach and truly relaxing with nothing to worry about except, "what's for lunch?" 

Have a wonderful week!!

RR

Before Breakfast....

I don't know about you, but I'm getting to be quite good friends with 4:00am.

I travel quite a bit with my "9-5" and that travel includes hitting the road well before sunrise and early morning meetings (the photo above is from a trip into Toronto one morning, for an early meeting...I/we always leave extra early to miss traffic!) . Luckily, I've always been a morning person (I'm also an evening/night person...let's just say sleep and I don't really get along all that well). When I was younger, I would be on the ice for figure skating practice well before 7am and having grown up in the country, you had to be at the end of the lane way nice and early to catch the bus to school...and we were one of the first pick ups of the day.

I'm also quite a breakfast fan (thankfully) because as we all know, it really and truly is the most important meal of the  day...for many reasons (we'll get into that in a later post). If you follow me on Instagram, you'll see my Saturday morning breakfast ritual that includes a leisurely start to the day of heading to the Guelph Farmers Market, picking up my favourite Fairly Frosted Vegan Bakery Cupcake(s) and then heading back home to sit on the deck/patio to have my cupcake and latte breakfast (with the odd mimosa, donut and fresh fruit mixed in) and enjoy this somewhat lazy start to the weekend.

IF ONLY this could be every morning!!

In reality, my typical breakfast includes items such as homemade protein-rich smoothies or Greek yogurt with fruit/berries....and OF COURSE a latte (made with skim milk and Truvia...an all natural sweetener). 

Now...as important as breakfast is, I read an article in the Globe and Mail a few months ago that talked to the "Twelve Things Successful People Do Before Breakfast".

Yes, that's right, BEFORE breakfast! Around my house, that usually includes walking Charlie and mayyybeee heading to the gym for a workout ( I tend to do my early morning workouts on an empty stomach). 

This article lists things/activities/tasks such as:

• Waking up early
• Exercising
• Working on top a priority business project
• Working on a personal passion project
• Spend quality time with family
• Connect with their spouses
• Network over coffee
• Meditate to clear their minds
• Write down things they're grateful for
• Plan and strategize while they're fresh
• Check their email
• Read the news

When I look at this list, I would say that throughout the week, I would actually do most of these, depending on the day. How about you?

I wake up early, exercise by walking the pooch, make lists for the day ahead and most days, before I even get out of bed, I take a few moments to just lay there, clear my head and ease into the day. Once I'm out of bed, I'm checking my phone(s) for emails and to get caught up on the news that occurred while I was sleeping......

I also keep a journal beside my bed to jot down new project ideas, things I'm grateful for  and items I want to remember from that day. This is something I generally do before I go to sleep, but I'm going to start adding it to my morning routine too! I'll admit that Monday - Friday, the business projects take priority but the weekends are generally mine to work on my passion projects....and I definitely do find that the first few hours of the morning (ie. 6:30-9:00am) are my most productive.

So...overall,  I would say that I do 8-9 of these things on a regular basis.

I'd also add one more item to that list......

• Watch the sunrise......

There's something about witnessing the sun coming up over the horizon that puts a different and extremely positive perspective on things....it's a sign of the new day beginning....and is one of the most beautiful times of day to get outside and enjoy the outdoors!

I hope this post inspires you to add a few more items to your morning routine....items that may only take a few minutes to complete, but that will only add to the goodness....the greatness...of your day!

RR

Office Space...

This is my 'To DO' list in my newly re-vamped office! I wanted a space that would beckon me in, implore me to create and inspire me to keep dreaming....all while offering me a functional work space. (P.S. The chalkboard is one of my DIY projects....let me know if you'd like one too!)

I wanted to anchor the revamp around a new desk....a desk built for me by my amazingly multi-talented brother. We chose the wood, the leg styles, the stain and here is the final product.....

The top is reclaimed Mennonite Barn Board, the legs are iron gas pipe fixtures and we went with a medium to dark stain to really show the wood grain.... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!! It is exactly what I envisioned and then some.... I love how you can see the planing marks..the raw-edginess it exudes...and those knots holes....to DIE for! It is truly a rustic, yet still chic, one-of-a-kind piece that I will cherish forever! THANK YOU Mike!

I was out and about a few days later and wandered into HomeSense......Am I ever glad I did because I found THE perfect chair to compliment the desk! I think I even squealed a bit when I saw it! Yes, there are times I MAYYYY get a wee bit too excited about home decor pieces/furniture....but hey, you can't help passion!

The black leather seat, the curved/clean lines, the metal base, the retro-esque wood grain...... **MWAH**!!!

Sooooo.... I had the 2 main work space pieces in place. The two on their own are inspiring enough ....but I thought, why not keep taking it up a few notches......

Time for a Gallery Wall!!

I started planning it out on my desk and it slowly began to take shape...I used pieces from local artists, from Etsy sellers, local boutiques, online boutiques/shops, friends....bits and pieces from various moments in my life over the past few years.

For me....the ultimate goal of a gallery wall is to be able to look up at every single piece and smile while remembering the story behind it. I really happy to sat that I can do that for every, single piece I now have on that wall.......

Whether it's words of wisdom, a gift from a friend, a photo that evokes memories of past moments...I can sit in my new chair at my new desk, look up and continually be inspired.  It's a room that I don't want to leave.....I enjoy every moment at that desk, planning, working and creating!

Most pieces are up with Washi tape for now....I love the way it looks and it allows me to re-configure, without the commitment of nail holes (I'm a nail hole commitment-phobe!). At some point, I will likely frame the larger items and 'officially' hang them. 

Thank you to all that contributed to this space..... It's efforts like this that truly do make my house my home!

RR

Office Sourcing: Pixel Paper Hearts;  The Everygirl; Rifle Paper Co; Chapters Indigo; West Elm Toronto; Jeannette Lorito; Melting Artist Designs; Top Knot Goods; Top Knot Weddings - Etsy